Episode 11
Driving UT Forward, The Campus You Don't See
In this episode of ET Talk, Cole Camplese is joined by Brent Stringfellow, Associate Vice President for Campus Operations and Planning and University Architect, for a wide‑ranging conversation about how the physical and digital foundations of the University of Texas at Austin are increasingly intertwined. While IT and campus operations may appear dissimilar on the surface, the discussion reveals how deeply aligned these roles are when it comes to enabling research, teaching, and the student experience at scale.
Brent shares insights from his path through architecture, higher education, and campus planning, highlighting how universities function as living systems, powered by utilities, buildings, data, and people. From sustainability initiatives like water reuse and energy resilience to the growing demands of data centers and advanced research computing, the episode explores how controlling UT’s “energy destiny” is now mission‑critical. The conversation also examines how smart buildings, analytics, and integrated systems can transform campuses into platforms for learning and discovery.
Looking ahead, Cole and Brent reflect on UT’s master planning process and what it means to design for an uncertain future. Rather than predicting a single outcome, they emphasize flexibility, collaboration, and reducing friction across campus, from wayfinding and navigation to adaptable learning spaces. The episode closes with a shared vision of a campus that feels effortless to move through, supports innovation invisibly, and quietly serves as the heartbeat of the university.